Dance team holds fourth Dancer for a Day
Last weekend, the CSB Dance team added to the excitement of Family Weekend with their annual event Dancer for a Day. This is a day
Last weekend, the CSB Dance team added to the excitement of Family Weekend with their annual event Dancer for a Day. This is a day where dancers in grades K-12 get to learn a dance and perform it with the dance team during halftime of the SJU Family Weekend football game.
The kids spend the morning of the game with the team preparing for their performance. They learned the routine, ate lunch with CSB dancers and experienced halftime just like they were a member of the team.
“They get to experience everything that we typically do for a Johnnie football game, from the tunnel when the players run out to the final pose at the end of our performance,” CSB senior Meagan Wentworth said. “It is such a fun and special day for all of the dancers that join us.”
Dancer for a Day first started in 2018 and has continued every year since, excluding 2020 in lieu of the pandemic. There have been more than 100 participants in past years, and this year had the largest number of participants yet with 126 kids in attendance.
“It is a great way to incorporate the community into our team, and it is usually one of the highlights of our season for our dancers,” CSB junior Audrey Everson said.
Dancer for a Day has historically been known to recruit future Bennies to the school and generate publicity for the dance team. In many cases, girls who participate in Dancer for a Day end up trying out for the CSB dance team in the future.
“Getting to know dancers in the community helps us to grow the St. Ben’s dance community on campus and connect with new people who may have danced with our teammates or friends,” CSB senior Allie Dempsey said.
This event tailors to dancers of all ages. The team splits up the performance into different levels so the dancers are comfortable with their part, and at the end all ages dance together. Including kids of all ages adds to the excitement of Family Weekend.
“Our kindergarteners are bouncing off the walls with silly stories, and our seniors in high school are hungry to learn and give a killer performance. Helping to teach a routine to a group of dancers that are so enthusiastic and energized makes for a great day,” Dempsey said.
Dancer for a Day is a highlight for dancers and participants alike.
“I love to see the dancers get so excited before we go out on the field to perform and then hearing about their favorite part of our performance after,” CSB junior Elizabeth Kuntz said.
The event is special for CSB dancers who have personal connections from home or family participating.
“My favorite part is getting to dance with my younger sister. She has participated in this event every year I have been on the team, and it’s so special to be able to perform on the field with her,” CSB senior Tori Rynerson said.
The team likes to pair participants with a CSB dancer to create new relationships and help the kids work through their nerves. In many cases, the dancers have never been on a college field before.
“Watching the kids walk off the field after the performance is my favorite part of the day. They are just so excited about being able to be out there in front of a full stadium of people,” head coach Anne Sumangil said.
Dancer for a Day is merely one weekend of a busy season filled with performances and team bonding. The dance team has been working since before school started, and they have been busy performing at halftime of Johnnie football games and Bennie soccer games. Many dancers describe practice as being one of the best parts of their day, and they have spent the season getting closer as a team. The team has many talented dancers this year, creating a unique chemistry that shines through in the team’s performances.
“We have a great group of girls this season, and everyone is really passionate about dancing, which makes practices and performances so much fun,” Everson said.
